


Bested

by robert_downey_jr



Category: Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed: Syndicate - Fandom
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fighting, Flirting, Kind of a slow burn, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Shameless Smut, because let's face it, i like some anger sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-07-24 20:17:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7521616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robert_downey_jr/pseuds/robert_downey_jr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>London is full of crime from the Blighters. When one occasion has Jacob Frye meeting a suspicious woman, he'll do whatever it takes to get under her skin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Game of Wits

**Author's Note:**

> HOT DAMN, JACOB FRYE. MARRY ME.

Jacob Frye had fucked up—royally—fucked up. 

He thought this to himself as he dashed and raced through the streets of London whilst avoiding the growing crowd of Blighters. He was supposed to clear out the stronghold swiftly and silently and when that didn’t work he resorted to using his pistol. And that’s why he was royally fucked. Getting not only the attention of one lookout but two. TWO. 

He could hear Evie’s scolding tone already. 

Jacob dove into the street, speeding past a large carriage to escape the horde behind him. He dodged bullets that tore through the carriage’s door and narrowly escaping a flying dagger. There was barely any Rooks that could have been scouting the area, no one was going to be willing to save his ass this time. At least he had stealth on his side. 

Pulling a tight turn on the nearest corner Jacob veered into the crowd walking along the sidewalk. He slowed his pace, blending in with the common folk and listened for the rushing footsteps. After a few seconds, he heard the rest of the Blighters veer onto the same corner he did. Jacob sped up his walk and threw himself into the nearest building he could. 

He tossed himself into the nearest nook of the shop. He heard the Blighters sprint down the street while also hearing people complain about their rudeness in the process. Jacob flattened himself against floor when a shadow appeared in the window sill above his frame. 

“Please be an idiot. Please be an idiot.” He begged. 

“Oi! Petey, he went this away!” One voice cut out in the distance. 

Jacob watched as the shadow backed away from the window and took off down the street. Jacob gave a sigh of relief, his whole body relaxing to see he had gotten rid of the horde. His victory was short lived when a blade became aimed at his throat. 

Jacob’s eyes dashed to a feminine, olive-skinned hand, where they traveled up to meet a pair of dazzling amber eyes. The sword barely shook the slightest in the hand of woman he looked at. Was it possible to smell her fear? Or was it just obvious by the look on her face? She wore thin-rimmed circular glasses and her dark hair had been braided back at her neck. 

“Who are you and why are you hiding in my shop?” 

A thick, English accent came out of lips that Jacob may or may not have been gawking at. He realized that the sword-wielder before him was asking a real question. 

“Is this how you greet all your customers?” He asked with one eyebrow raised 

“Just the ones that tend to hide.” 

“And do you usually threaten them with a shiny rapier?” 

“You ask a lot of questions for a man that will have no tongue.”   
Her voice didn’t waver at that. 

Jacob smiled, a genuine one since this woman clearly didn’t understand who she was speaking to. Or well, didn’t understand who she was threatening at this point. Swiftly, he hooked his foot around the back of the woman’s ankle and kicked upwards. The woman stumbled backwards, hands thrown forward to catch herself. Jacob quickly stood and grasped his window of opportunity and grasp the rapier from the woman’s hands just as she smacked into the floor. 

He slashed through the air with curt and precise cuts before he waved the blade and pointed it at the woman beneath him. He watched her head raise slightly at the tip that was now pointed at her throat. 

“And you have a lot of fire for someone who threatens an assassin.” 

The woman’s angry expression did not change. Rather disappointing since he was hoping he’d watch the color drain from her face. He always enjoyed that bit when he’d real his identity. 

“Am I supposed to be scared?” 

“I would be.” Jacob shrugged and tested the tip of the blade with his index finger. 

The blade was made out of pure silver, yet weighed nothing in his large hands. The metal gleamed brightly from the sunlight poking in, shimmering against the sunrays he watched his own reflection move. The haft had been carefully created with excellent precision and time consumption making the hilt comfortable with any hand. 

“Such a remarkable sword. Where did you get such a beauty?” He asked. 

“A murder victim never reveals her secrets.” 

He nearly laughed at that. 

“But if you kill me I can assure you that you won’t see craftsmanship like that in a long time.” 

Brave. That’s what this woman was. A mere inch from the blade’s tip she stood and adjusted her bodice. A white ruffled shirt that was cinched together at her waist with a black vest and black riding leathers that clung to her shapely hips and even tall black boots that attached to the pants she wore. 

“That blade you’re holding? It’s a one of a kind and only I know the blacksmith.” 

“You have a lot of courage for someone that is staring down death.” 

Her amber eyes nearly liquefied into pure gold with anger. 

“And you talk a lot for an assassin.” She spat. 

“Who are you?” 

“You come into my residence, threaten my life and then question who I am? The gall!”   
Jacob gave a sigh, swiveling the sword back down and held the hilt out for the woman before him. He removed his top-hat and bowed slightly. 

“Jacob Frye, illustrious leader of the Rooks. I’m sure you’ve heard of me.” 

“Ah, yes. I know your reputation more than I know your own name.” 

Jacob swiftly placed his top-hat back over his head and gave the woman a dashing smile. Was it his reputation with liberating England? Or was it his history with liberating women from their corsets? Either way, he enjoyed both reputes that preceded him. 

“I have no quarrel with someone who is freeing innocent children from awful work. My name is Maven Vale.” 

Maven. A unique name for a unique woman. 

“What is that you…do?” 

Jacob ushered to the bookstore that he stood in. Maven eyed the place as well and shrugged slightly. 

“I run this library, which I’m now being stopped from doing. It was nice meeting you, Jacob Frye but I must be on my way.” 

Their conversation was far from over, especially when he something to do about it. Maven made to turn just as Jacob struck out and grasped her wrist. 

“Not so fast, milady. Where can I learn information about this blacksmith?”

Because he as interested. Far too interested to do anything else. There was something about her that just screamed that she was hiding secrets from him. And he was definitely going to get to the bottom of it before he’d leave this shop. 

“Am I supposed to reveal all my secrets to you just because you bat your eyelashes at me and give me a charming smile?” 

That charming smile of his faltered in the slightest. 

“Shall I share pleasantries with a woman who threatened to cut out my tongue?” 

“It could do you some good. You talk far too much.” 

“That’s because I like to hear myself talk.” 

“I’ve noticed.” 

He gave a low chuckle. She was definitely a woman that was sharp-witted and cunning, he’d give her that at least. 

“I think we’ve gotten on the wrong foot. Maybe we both can properly behave and use introductions, hm?” He asked. 

From her demeanor and the way she was looking at him, she was far from behaving properly. Maven’s expression became softer as she took a step forward. Calm, yet lithe steps that had him eying her suspiciously. He took a step back as she pressed forward. 

“You want introductions?” 

Another step back, another step forward. He was starting to feel a little nervous from the way that mischief danced in her golden eyes. He was also suspicious of any woman, period. His sister was an example of shady and dodgy. 

Maven leaned forward, head tilting to the side and eyes dragging up from his lips to his eyes. Her lips where mere inches from his. If this was what she had in mind for introductions, then what did she do for plain conversation? He prayed that it was exactly what he thought it was. 

“Well, Jacob Frye…” She whispered, her breath ghosting along his lips. He felt her hand run up to his bicep. 

Jacob felt himself melting into whatever hypnotic hold she had on him. He leaned in to meet her lips. 

“Let me formally introduce you to the door.” 

His eyes snapped open just as the door behind him was swung open and cold air rushed to his back. 

“Wait--!” 

The hand that Maven had on his arm shoved him roughly out the front door and right on his back. He hit the ground with a grunt and saw Maven poke her head out. 

“You want a real introduction? Buy some of my books and then we’ll talk.” 

The door slammed closed with a happy echo of the door’s bell in its wake, leaving Jacob to lay on the ground and ponder. Since when did librarians becoming cunning, little predators? And how did he get so easily out-witted by one? 

Because she was no random woman.


	2. Coincidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacob is left with an anger that cannot be cooled, once Evie suggests that he takes out his frustrations in the arena, Jacob is all too willing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I couldn't imagine Jacob with anyone that wasn't a complete sass-master.

He was brooding. A man of high regard, charisma and charm…was reduced to brooding. Jacob sat on the train and glared heatedly at the wall in front of him. The wall didn’t deserve such anger but Jacob couldn’t find anyone in a close enough radius to scowl at.

 

That is until his sister came jumping into the train cart with a dazzling grin on her face. Jacob turned his head and scowled at her. Evie’s eyebrows nearly raised to the roof once she saw the storm that began to brew over Jacob’s head. She bounced over to the safe and kept one eye on Jacob as he continued to glare at the wall.

 

“You’re looking rather sour today, dear brother.”

 

Jacob’s glare nearly burned holes into the wall.

 

“Did you make an embarrassment of yourself again?”

 

“You are baiting me, sister, and I will not fall for it.”

 

Evie merely danced around him, poking a finger in his face only for a few seconds before Jacob slapped her hand away.

 

“Don’t you have Henry to bother?”

 

“Why would I bother such an intelligent man when I can bother you?”

 

Jacob stood, fixing his coat he turned around to exit the car. Evie was already cutting off his path with a devilish smile.

 

“I’m having too much fun with you but do tell what has made you this cross?”

 

Jacob wondered briefly if he should tell his sister about the cranky book-keeper he met earlier. Would she tease him relentlessly or give him some helpful advice? Something pulled him toward this woman. He could have been mad out of his brain but there was something….different about her. The way she stared into his eyes without fear and how she threatened him like he was some regular man on the streets.

 

It got under his skin, she’d gotten under his skin. Yes, he was used to women fawning themselves over him since he was so incredibly debonair and dangerous. But this woman didn’t blink twice at him before throwing him out on his back. She was immune to his charms, maybe all of the charms that men like him possessed. Nonetheless, the woman was a storm in a port and Jacob would remiss if he didn’t take the nearest boat to catch it.

 

“I’ve grown antsy and I must do something to ventilate.”

 

Was he lying to his sister? Possibly. Did he feel bad about it? Absolutely not. Evie would rather watch him burn on a hot pan, laugh and then decide to help him. What did Evie know anyways? She was surely smart but she lacked communication skills when they were out with people. Somewhat lacked.

 

Evie seemed to frown at this but merely shrugged and moved out of his way.

“I’ve heard that Robert has some sort of event happening tonight at the nearest brawl yard. Henry and I will be there, if you enter then I’ll be sure to bet a good sum on you.”

 

Fighting strangers in a dank, dark area while danger lurked around the corner? The thought had him grinning. This was his way to roll off one snippy woman off of his shoulders and use his pent up anger on a complete outsider. He was also going home with tons of money by the time the final match ended, and he was going to be the last man standing.

 

“Why, I think you’ve hatched a brilliant idea, sister.”

 

Evie lifted her eyes from a book she had opened and rolled her eyes at him. “Yes, I do have those from time to time.” 

 

“Semantics.” He said with a wave of his hand.

 

“Oh yes, intelligence is trivial compared to brawn.”

 

Jacob turned and tipped his hat to his sister. “Brawn is what is going to make us win big tonight.”

 

He nearly flew on his way out of the cab cart, feeling more relieved and useful than he did before he entered the train. Throwing some punches and rendering men to a pile of broken bones sounded so deliciously tempting that he began humming on his way out.

 

“Don’t forget that I have some of the highest records in the fighting club!” Evie yelled after him.

 

 

Sweat and some blood dripped off of Jacob as he landed himself in the third slot of the leader’s board. He’d been at fighting for two hours now and barely had any breaks but he hadn’t felt this alive in a while. Once he breezed through the first two rounds, a crowd began to form. Sure enough by the end of the fourth round the entire underground club was filled.

 

Jacob stood in the center of the arena, adjusting the bandages around his knuckles and fingers when two hulking men jumped into the ring. Jacob sized them up without lifting his eyes from his hands. The tallest one, who’s name ‘Brenner’ was tattooed across his chest, adjusted his shoulder just ever so slightly.

 

The other contender, a man that Jacob was going to call ‘Brutus’, faintly limped on his right knee. Robert was already leaning on the wooden dividers and waving around a heavy satchel. From the crowd, Jacob could spot Evie and Henry standing off to the corner. Evie gave him a wink before casting of a small salute with two fingers.

 

The bell rang behind him and Jacob felt the ground rumble before he heard the two mountainous men barrel their way toward him. Jacob took off in a full sprint toward them before hitting the ground and sliding between the gaps they had formed. With one hand, Jacob grasped the knee cap of Brutus and yanked backwards letting the first man hit the ground.

 

Rolling back up on the balls of his feet, he ducked in time to avoid a punch from Brenner. Jacob watched the clenched fist fly past his shoulder, he seized Brenner by the same arm and knocked her hand upward, through his elbow. He felt the pop as the bone slipped from the joint and rendered Brenner weakened for the briefest of moments.

 

Jacob spun around Brenner’s left shoulder and slammed his heel into the back of his leg. Brenner stumbled to his knee, parallel to where Brutus was kneeling and coddling his knee. Jacob whipped around, grasping the two men by their hands he slammed both of them forward. He made a face hearing the two of their heads collide on impact.

 

The crowd roared with life while the two men hit the floor at Jacob’s feet. The bell rang again just as Robert came bouncing out from his stand. He practically leapt over the two men before sashaying around to Jacob. Robert held up Jacob’s wrapped hand into the air as another round of cheers burst through the area.

 

“Jacob Frye takes number two on the fighter’s board!”

 

Jacob had a smirk on his face as he watched his name reach the second spot. He had two more rounds to go before he’d be presented as the winner. Adrenaline was pumping high in his veins as he walked his way out of the arena and toward where Evie and Henry stood.

 

Jacob noticed that Evie was not present when Henry appeared through the crowd. He gave Henry a confused look as he moved through the crowd.

 

“Your sister is getting something to drink. I must say, this might be a little too easy for the two of you.”

 

Jacob smirked. “I’ve been needing a new top-hat and boots.”

 

Henry chuckled, nodding in agreement. “Evie will be taking quite a large haul home with us tonight, should you win.”

 

“Funds for the trip to India?”

 

“More like funds for the new cane she’d been eyeing one of the crafters to make.”

 

It would be just like his sister to spend large sums of money for silent weapons. She had a collection growing in her study and each cane held a different color of dagger inside the handles. Jacob was quite sure she was working her way down the colors of the rainbow.

 

Jacob could hear the ladies giggling from behind him and he turned in time to see them wave their fans and bat their eyelashes at him. He gave them a dashing smile and a wink, watching as the two women erupt into more giggles.

 

“Thinking of settling down, Jacob?”

 

“Oh, Greenie. I’m not ready to give up a life of a bachelor.” He tutted at him.

 

Henry tossed his head back and laughed. “I felt the same way and then I met your sister.”

 

Jacob scowled. Since they had become engaged it seemed like the two of them were nearly inseparable which meant that Jacob had to watch every kissing and flirting session with distain. Jacob liked seeing Evie happy and Henry did just that. However, he would have liked it a lot better if they did it while they weren’t around him.

 

Sometimes, he did long for what Evie had. The idea of having someone beside him, for better or worse was an alluring idea. However, finding someone that would deal with him and his antics would take time and it was time that he would have to spend. Which meant that he’d rather spend it doing other things. Some woman will tie him down one day, and he hoped that it wasn’t too soon.

 

Jacob spotted Evie’s head above all the others and waved her over. Henry and Jacob shared looks as she moved through the crowd. He could see her holding two cups of ale, which whether or not it was Henry’s didn’t matter because he was going to steal it from her hand as soon as she pushed through the crowd.

 

His theft idea didn’t go to as planned because once Evie pushed through the crowd he noticed another woman tagging along with her. Jacob felt the world freeze for just that moment when he recognized the face beside his sister.

 

Maven Vale.

 

Jacob saw that she noticed him too and they both scowled at the other. Evie barely noticed the exchange in glares as she handed a drink to Henry and Jacob.

 

“Jacob, let me introduce you to—“

 

“Maven.”

 

“Jacob.”

 

Evie’s brows furrowed and she gave looks to the two of them. “Have you two met before?”

 

“Just recently, in fact.” Maven said twisting her head to look at Evie.

 

She still wore the same outfit as she did before but her hair had been kept down. He saw her long black hair sweep down to the middle of her back. His eyes dipped just beyond the hairline before jumping right back up to look back at Evie and Maven.

 

“It was a rather…unpleasant meeting, Evie.” Jacob said flicking his eyes to his sister.

 

“For _you_. I had no quarrel with how we ended things.”

 

“Says the woman that practically shoved me out of your hovel.”

 

“Hovel--! I’ll have you know that I make more money on my books than you do on your little fist-fights.”

 

Evie and Henry watched with delight at the two of them bicker. It was quite a show to see a woman that stood about 5’6 where Jacob was a solid 6’4, argue with each other in the middle of a fight club.

“I’m sure that your ratty books make…a comfortable amount of money.”

 

Maven’s eyes could have ignited all of the cigars in the entire room. She slid her withering glare off of Jacob and back to Evie where she gave her a warming smile.

 

“Evie, you must forgive my brashness—“

 

“Apology accepted.” Jacob said leaning in.

 

“I wasn’t asking you.” Maven said keeping her eyes pinned on Evie. “I had forgotten that you had a brother…let alone your brother being Jacob Frye.”

 

Evie tried her best to hold back her grin but failed miserably. “Ah, yes. I don’t usually like to tell everyone my last name when I’m book shopping. I didn’t expect you two to meet.”

 

“Yes, how do you two know each other?” Jacob asked with keen interest.

 

“Your sister is a loyal customer at my…’hovel’. She buys my books on a daily basis. I don’t think you’d know what that means considering you don’t read.”

 

“I don’t need to read to impress women.”

 

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, love.”

 

Jacob clenched his jaw, “Listen here, you—“

 

The arena bell rang overhead, signaling Jacob back to the center of the room. Robert was already flagging him down with a lively grin and wave. Jacob quickly turned and looked back to Maven, whose eyebrows had been quirked into a sassy grimace.

 

“This isn’t over.” He hissed.

 

Maven dramatically placed a hand to her forehead and pretended to swoon. “I’d despair if it did.”

 

He was too angry to argue with her any longer. Jacob pushed through the crowd and entered the ring, he rolled his shoulders as three large men jumped over the ring doors. Jacob adjusted his neck. He was going to win all that damn money tonight, and he was going to make Maven eat her words.

 

Damn librarian.


	3. Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacob learns something about Maven that he hadn't expected before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, guys.   
> Life is hard tbh College and work are kicking my butt.

The constant chiming of Maven’s customer bell finally pulled her out from her backroom. She opened the curtains to see that Jacob Frye was the perpetrator for the continuous dinging. Jacob had one arm propped on her counter, with one finger smashing down on the bell, and sporting his usual smug. Maven clenched her fists before collecting her rage and cooling it into an expression of disinterest.

 

“What do you want now, Mr. Frye?”

 

He leaned himself up, “’Mr. Frye?’ Last time I checked I was still in my youth.”

 

Maven gave him a tight smile. “I surmised that as well…considering your maturity level.”

 

Jacob gave her a withering glare, one that made a seed of pride grow inside of her. Maven played her hair between her fingers while Jacob slammed down a book on her counter top. The book was relatively thick, maybe thicker than Jacob’s brain.

 

“Are you finally learning how to read?”

 

“I’m buying a book.” Sarcasm was thick on his tongue.

 

Maven scowled and grasped the book, she adjusted her glasses and looked at the title of the thick book. _Crime and Punishment_ was sewn onto the front of the novel. She raised her eyebrows before putting it back down.

 

“I think I have a small collection of children’s books in the corner—“

 

“Are you going to sass a potential customer?”

 

“I’m only sassing a man whose intelligence level falls just below inadequate.”

 

Jacob blinked at her. “I bet you plenty of suitors with a mouth like yours.”

 

“I don’t have trouble with any gentlemanly callers. But I’m sure the word ‘gentlemen’ is foreign to you.”

 

He leaned in, “how about you ask half the women I have carted around town.”

 

Maven narrowed her gaze and put her hands on the counter. “Why should I listen to disappointing stories when I have you right in front of me?”

 

Jacob threw up his hands and groaned in frustration. “I have never met a woman as maddening as you are!”

 

“That’s because you haven’t met a woman other than your sister that has a brain.”

 

Jacob shoved himself away from the desk and rubbed his jaw. Maven merely leaned a hip against the counter and watched as he grumbled and began to brood. She adjusted her glasses and kept a smug look on her face just as he turned back around to face her.

 

“You are without a doubt the most infuriating woman.” He said slowly.

Maven gave a smile.

 

“And you are the most arrogant man that has ever walked this side of London.”

 

He could throttle her. He’d been taught better than that but even as kept the poisonous smile on her face, he could see her amber eyes dancing with entertainment. She was finding every argument they had to be a delight. His eye began to twitch with frustration.

 

“What did you really come here for, Jacob?” Maven asked.

 

Jacob slapped a hand to the book on the counter and slid it forward. He collected his thoughts and tried to calm the rage that had begun to boil his blood. He swallowed his pride and met Maven’s eyes.

 

“You told me that when I buy a book that we’ll talk, yes?”

 

“What could you possibly want to talk to me about?”

 

Maven grasped the book, her fingers just barely grazing Jacob’s slightly as she took it from his grasp. He felt his entire hand erupt in tingles. Maven checked the inside cover of the novel, produced a quill from the inkpot and began to scribble down the book number and its price. 

 

“Other than our…delightful chats. I found something out about you and I seek answers.”

 

“Could it be that you realized I am not some random fawning woman? And that you wonder why I have not fallen at your feet yet?”

 

“Whether or not you fall on your feet in front of me is not my concern. However, I’d be more than happy to watch the display as you do it.”

 

Maven scowled and Jacob slapped his coins on the counter to pay for the fee. Maven counted the change an opened her register.

 

“You see, the day I met you, you showed me a one of a kind sword. Then, after our spat inside the fighting arena I see my sister walking around with a master crafted cane.”

 

Maven’s hands had paused on the register’s drawer, coins still in hand while her eyes lifted from them. It was Jacob’s turn to have the smug look on his face. He leaned in close to Maven, his whole body practically laying on the counter while he played with the quill in the inkpot.

 

“The cane was remarkable, quite different from her collection. When I inquired to her about where she’d gotten it she said she couldn’t divulge the craftsman’s name or location. That sword you had was a one of a kind, just like my sister’s cane is a one of a kind…now, I wonder where she could have gotten such a beautiful weapon from?”

 

Maven’s jaw quivered but her face didn’t change. Jacob could see the ice beginning to chip off of her and a smile split across his face.

 

“What do you want?” She hissed.

“I want to meet the blacksmith and have some weapons done.”

 

“No.” She said curtly.

 

He could feel that her answer wasn’t one to be debated on. But that wasn’t any warning for him to back off, if anything, it was an invitation to debate on it. He was going to poke the beast until she’d finally bite and that’s what he was hoping for.

 

“And why not?” 

 

“Because I said so.”

 

He nearly laughed at that. “You’re going to shoo away a potential customer?”

 

“I’m shooing away an annoyance.”

 

He propped his face up on his cheek and his smile grew wider.

 

“My, what a venomous tongue you have! What other tricks can it do?”

 

“It throws insults, for some extra coin I can insult you until your ears bleed.”

 

“They bleed enough every time you speak, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

Maven clicked her tongue against her teeth, suppressing the smile that was threatening to break the frown she’d held since he walked in. Jacob hadn’t every met a woman like her to give him this much banter and yet she’d never a met a man like Jacob that was more than willing to dish it back out.

 

“Why do you detest me so much, Maven? Is it because under that…tight librarian get up is a woman that desperately needs to be freed?”

 

Maven narrowed her eyes and leaned over the counter, matching Jacob’s stance and bringing her face close to his. He eyed her suspiciously as she tucked a dark strand behind her ear.

 

“I find it almost charming that you come into my shop, buy one of my books and then try to figure out my secrets. If you’re as adapt with women as you say you are then you know that a woman never reveals her secrets.”

 

“Not openly. But Maven Vale, I promise that I’ll figure you out and once I do, you’ll never be able to get rid of me.”

 

Maven tilted her head and smiled at him. A true one that he taking a double take at the cunning librarian he’d met. There was still a bitter coldness in her eyes but yet her smile was warm and her shining white teeth had made his heart thump a little harder against his ribs.

 

“You’ve already gotten under my skin. I am a mystery, Jacob Frye, therefore you do not get to decide whether or not I am a puzzle to be solved.”

 

She moved herself away from the counter and slid his book toward him. Maven’s hair flipped back to her backside. Just like a curtain doing a final closing call, Maven disappeared from the room and Jacob was left wondering if there would be an encore after their show. He smiled slightly and took his book from Maven’s shop.

 

* * *

 

 He had been propped up on the train for the last three hours, reading his book from page to page. It wasn’t until Henry Greene jumped onto the cart that he lifted his eyes from the page.

 

“Jacob, I didn’t expect you to be on the train. Have you seen Evie?”

 

He shrugged. “She went to go liberate a stronghold, I believe.”

 

Henry sighed and placed his hands on his hips. He looked to the book in Jacob’s hands and a coy smile flickered across his features.

 

“I see that you went to Maven’s bookstore.”

 

“Indeed. I had questions.”

 

And he was left with more questions than answers after he left her shop. Henry chuckled seeing the brooding look on his face and leaned himself up against the safe. He crossed his arms and turned his head to Jacob.

 

“She’s an interesting woman. Out of the four of us, she is the quietest assassin there is.”

 

Jacob’s book slapped closed and he twisted his head to look at Henry.

 

Maven was an _assassin?_

 

* * *

 

 

Maven was stacking books when her door dinged open. She turned to see Jacob walking through the door. She sighed and put her books on the shelf and turned to face him.

 

“What now, Jacob—“

 

In a blink of an eye Jacob hurled a blade towards Maven. With feline reflexes, Maven seized a book and held it in front of her as the blade sunk into the thick novel. He threw another, Maven deflected it with the next book. Anger coursed in his veins and he launched one last one, this one was pointed at her chest. She was quick to block the blade from hitting her chest by using the last book in the stack.

 

Jacob raised his eyebrows as Maven slowly lowered the book, her eyes burning with rage. She was quick on her reflexes and only assassins could deflect a blade that easily and swiftly. Who could have taught her skills?

 

He watched as she looked back to the book, the throwing knife’s insignia on the hilt and her shoulders dropped. On the hilt was the Creed’s insignia, one she definitely recognized as soon as it penetrated the book’s hardback cover.

 

Jacob was nodding as she looked back to him.

 

“Shit.” She grumbled.

 

“Time to have a talk, Maven.”


	4. Bounty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacob and Maven have a talk

Jacob was angrier than he had ever been in his life. Not for one thing but for _two._ Firstly, he was angry that he’d been lied to by the woman in front of him and his own damn sister for not telling him that Maven had been part of the Creed the entire time. Secondly, he was angry at his own damn self for not thinking of it sooner.

 

Evie wouldn’t dare risk any real friendships out in the open, nor would she even introduce Greene to their batch of madness. At least not risking a friendship without knowing that the other could take care of themselves. Which is what Maven could exactly bloody do. She was a damn assassin that rolled with the three of them and no one had even fucking mentioned it to him.

 

“You lied to me.” He hissed.

 

“I _lied_?” Maven asked and placed the useless book on the ground. “ _You_ never _asked_ if I was part of the Creed.”

 

He opened his mouth to object but closed it. She was right and he hated her for it. He didn’t ask about it but that was because she gave no signs of being a damn assassin. If he had known this all along he wouldn’t have thrown the knives at her. Well, that was a lie. He still would have thrown a knife at her face for just being her annoying self.

 

“I’m an infiltrator, Jacob.” She seemed to hiss under her breath.

 

She walked passed him, her own shoulder bumping into his purposely as she reached up and locked her front doors. The dark curtains swung over the door and she turned back around, her hand wrapping around his bicep. On habit Jacob flexed his arm and Maven gave him a glare as she dragged him through the other room.

 

He was pushed through the curtains where a small sitting room sat behind the shop. A small fireplace sat next to a back door, a large chair was placed in front of the fireplace with a small table that a teapot rested on. More shelves with older, beaten up novels sat on them with other small baubles and pictures lined the walls. A wooden secretary sat beside them with the desk drawn out and papers were neatly stacked up with ink pots and quills filling in on the shelves.

 

Maven yanked the curtains closed and sighed.

 

“My job is set up with Greene. I collect information and hand it over to him but since you and Evie took down Starrick I’ve been trying to keep an ear to the ground. I’m supposed to keep an ear out for any Templars or up-risers.”

 

“Is there a particular reason why you didn’t share this information when we first met? Or maybe when I came in earlier?”

 

“Do you know how hard it is keeping appearances? Especially when I’ve made my name and my shop out here? If word went out that I was seen conversing with the leader of the Rooks my name would be tarnished across the city. Any intelligence I could get from passersby would cease to exist.”  

 

He adjusted his jaw, a signature move to show that he’d been out-smarted. He did it a lot whenever he and Evie had their spats. He couldn’t blame Maven for keeping her identity hidden from him because her reasons were sound.

 

But did it bother him more than fucking anything that he’d been so easily outwitted. Yes, he knew she was smarter and more cunning that most of the women he’d met but he didn’t expect her to be this cunning. She had outsmarted her own kind and kept him off her trail with the continuous insults. What else had she kept secret?

 

“Do you really hate me then?”

 

“Oh, yes. I think you’re the most arrogant bastard I’ve ever met.”

 

That much was true.

 

“What about you is real, Maven?”

 

Maven turned and crossed her arms. “Anything I can make you believe, Jacob.”

 

To keep his eyes from sweeping down her curvaceous hips, he narrowed his gaze solely on the glasses that perched on the bridge of her nose. The circular glasses that framed her face and made her large amber eyes shine a little bit brighter with the sun peeking in from the curtains.

 

“Your glasses? Do you really need them?”

 

“I’m horribly far-sighted.”

 

“Your shop?”

 

“I spent every last coin I’ve ever had from my jobs with Greene to create my precious store.”

 

Jacob leaned back into his chair and Maven leaned herself up against the wall. She looked down to her hands and played with the rings on her fingers. They let silence fill the room, however, it could only fill the void for so long before Jacob became restless.

 

“So, what information do you gather for Greene?”

 

“The strongholds you’ve stumbled on aren’t by chance. I’ve told Greene of where he could find them. You’ve defeated the Templars leaders and started liberating more and more parts of London. I would congratulate you on that, however, it’s been harder and harder to hear whispers of the leftover Templars, no thanks to you.”

 

“I’ve been doing just fine.”

 

“By the skin of your teeth, I’m sure.”

 

“Does Greene pay you for being a nuisance?”

 

Maven leaned off the wall, her honey colored eyes erupting into flames of anger. Jacob nearly smiled in victory, had it not been for her yanking him up by the lapels of his coat and snarling at him. He stared down at the fiery woman who looked ready to kill.

 

“Do not forget that you came into my shop and threw _knives_ at me. You did this on your own volition, you snarky self-serving bastard.”

 

Jacob grasped her wrists and yanked them off of him. He pushed her against her wall, not hard enough to hurt but hard enough that the portraits on the walls shook. Maven grunted but struggled against his hands.

 

“If you weren’t such an annoyance I would almost want to court you.”

 

“I’d rather be courted by a mule.”

 

He couldn’t stand her. She was beyond the most maddening, frustrating woman that ever walked the Earth. She made Evie look like a saint whenever she opened her mouth, which was all the time they happened to be in the same room.

 

But there was some part of him that liked the fire that raged inside of her. There was something about her that attracted him to her. Maybe he was a moth to a flame and quite possibly saw the danger of wanting something so dangerous and forbidden but it didn’t stop him from finding the woman he restrained attractive.

 

He was noticing it now as he realized how close they had become. Maven’s back against the wall, his chest pressing up against their hands while she burned holes into his eyes with her heated glare. She was a huffing bull, ready to charge and create chaos. And Jacob was the matador that liked to wave the red flag and play with danger.

 

He pushed himself away from Maven, his coat swishing away with him as he picked his top hat from the floor. Jacob ignored the rising arousal in his system while he slowly moved out of Maven’s reading room. He had more frustration than he knew what to do with it. He exited the bookstore and went back out onto the cold, damp streets where he walked back toward the train station.

 

 

“Did Maven rub you the wrong way again?” Evie asked as she plopped beside her brother.

 

“She’s caused a painful chafe, sister.” He grumbled.

 

Evie snickered but crossed her legs at her desk. She was playing with a single flower in her hands, no doubt a gift from her fiancée. Jacob frowned and continued to play with his brass knuckles. He was going to tell his sister that the bratty librarian he had grown used to hating was someone he now found attractive. And not just attractive but someone he would enjoy to see naked.

 

“Henry told me that you were…surprised to find out that Maven was one of us.”

 

“That’s putting it mildly.”

 

More snickering.

 

Jacob snarled at her. He didn’t exactly know what to do with Maven now that he learned she was assassin. She wasn’t some random merchant on the streets anymore. She was a cunning spy that held the same lethality of the both of them. He couldn’t go around pestering her for that one of a kind blacksmith she kept hidden. At least not without getting a dagger into the face for bothering her about it.

 

“How is that cane treating you?”

 

Evie whipped the ebony colored wooden cane from her chair. She grasped the haft of it and yanked out a sharp, jagged dagger that had been crafted with from a sapphire stone. The dagger gleamed in the air and Evie’s eyed with love and adoration.

 

“That blacksmith or weapon smith you got your cane from. Do they create pistols?”

 

“Indeed. It’s high prices for such crafted weapons but I’ve never seen such intricately done weapons in a while.”

 

Maven Vale was an assassin that owned a bookstore, ran intelligence for Henry Greene and was hiding a master craftsman somewhere in London. She was either his worst enemy or quite possibly the most interesting woman he’d ever met. The puzzle on this woman had more pieces than he originally thought.

 

His words were cut short when the door opened and Henry came in with Maven behind him. Jacob barley recognized Maven since she was now decked in the Creed’s cape, the pointed hood covering her eyes. Rain drops had gathered over the shoulders of her suede hood. He could barely make out the signs of her glasses rims poking out from beneath the hood.

 

“Henry…Maven? What is—“

 

“Maven has a bounty on her head.”

 

The twins shared looks before Henry smacked a piece of paper on the desk, Jacob shared a weary look to Evie and they craned their heads over onto the desk. Emblazoned in thick, bold letters was Maven’s name and the death warrant beneath it. There was a crest seal pressed in red wax at the bottom, he couldn’t recognize any similarities from all of the seals he’d seen before.

 

Maven lifted her hood from her face and shook off the rain drops. Henry and Maven looked like siblings with the same color skin and dark hair. But Maven’s eyes were much brighter than Henry’s and his were swirling with dark browns. However, it didn’t Jacob long to notice that there was already a slash mark across her cheek, a bruise already forming along the lines of it.

 

“Thugs were waiting outside my shop when I came out to go home. They attacked me but luckily I had the advantage. I found the bounty on one of the thugs and ran directly to Henry’s after that.”

 

Evie was already shoving through Henry to place her hands on Maven’s shoulders and observe the wound. Maven’s eyes landed on Jacob’s over Evie’s shoulders and he felt a shiver run down his spine. Who would put a bounty on Maven’s head? Who would want to take down someone who was supposed to be a simple librarian?

 

Then it occurred to Jacob.

 

Someone knew.


End file.
